Schumi on course for eighth world title
Schumacher clinched his 153rd podium finish from 245 races
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Sunday, 10, Sep 2006 07:37
Michael Schumacher has dramatically reduced the gap on title rival Fernando Alonso to two points after victory in the Italian grand prix at Monza.
The seven-time world champion put aside a week of frenzied speculation about his future to claim his fourth victory in the last six races in Ferrari's home grand prix.
The Ferrari driver took the lead on lap 32 and maintained his nerve to take the chequered flag while Alonso capped off a miserable weekend by retiring nine laps from the end after a blown engine.
Schumacher finished nearly eight seconds clear of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen while Sauber's Robert Kubica took his first podium finish in third place.
Giancarlo Fisichella finished in fourth ahead of Britain's Jenson Button, who was 35 seconds off Schumacher, while Rubens Barrichello took sixth.
Schumacher, 37, made his intentions clear from the start, setting a blistering pace to put the pressure on Raikkonen at the front of the grid.
Alonso was on course for third place, having started in tenth , after a tussle with Kubica but his race ended in heartache with smoke pouring out of his engine and he left the track to jeers from the pro-Ferrari crowd.
Schumacher clinches his 90th career victory and fifth win at the Italian grand prix.
The next race is in China on October 1st with three rounds left in the championship.